The present invention relates generally to exercise devices and, more particularly, to a pneumatic exercise device that provides adjustable resistance training that result in beneficial exercise, toning, and development of a user's muscles.
The Pilates exercise methodology (hereinafter referred to as “Pilates”) is a complete method of physical and mental conditioning developed by Joseph Pilates (1880-1967) that uses the principles of breath, awareness, concentration, centering, control, precision, and flowing movement to develop a user's body with an equal emphasis on strength and flexibility. The focus on well thought out and precise movements designed to align or re-align one's spine to its proper position by conditioning the deep postural muscles, such as the thighs, buttocks, and abdominals, has led to making Pilates one of the fastest growing forms of exercise in the world.
While Pilates is an exercise methodology apart from any particular apparatus, various devices have been proposed in the industry for assisting users in implementing the principles of Pilates. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices do not provide a device that is portable and storable for home use, that provides pneumatic resistance that is independently adjustable relative to a push or pull motion, or that is easily adaptable for exercising multiple muscle groups.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have an exercise device that provides resistance training to a user, that includes independent controls for varying the resistance for push and pulls strokes, respectively, and that may be used conveniently for exercising multiple muscle groups. Further, it would be desirable to have an exercise device in which individual check valves are easily accessible to a user at a single end of the device and that are interconnected by channels that are completely positioned within the interior of the device.